Buy Now, Pay Later: 5 Reasons Your Online Store Needs It Now
As your online store grows, it’s only natural to look for new ways to attract more customers and boost your revenue. One way is giving your customers more payment options at checkout. A solution proving its worth in that department is the addition of buy now, pay later services to the market.
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What is buy now, pay later?
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) lets your customers make purchases now and pay for them over time, while ensuring you get paid upfront and in full. It’s an ideal method to make high-ticket items more affordable, increase your overall cart value, and delight current and new customers with more financial freedom.
So, how does BNPL work and how can your business benefit from it? In this article, we discuss everything you need to know:
How does buy now, pay later work?
The name really says it all. Buy now, pay later services are a credit payment model that gives shoppers more financial freedom and increased purchasing power. By offering buy now, pay later at checkout, you’re giving customers the flexibility to shop your site today and pay for their purchases in several stages. This means BNPL payments are usually split into 4-6 interest-free installments or paid in full within a certain amount of time. The exact breakdown varies among the different BNPL providers.
To start offering BNPL on your eCommerce website, you’ll need to choose from a wide variety of BNPL providers, such as Affirm and Afterpay. Different options are available depending on your location and you can add more than one. Once connected, shoppers can choose the provider that works best for them, complete their purchase and start making payments.
Why you should add BNPL to your online store
1. Huge potential to drive more sales
Online purchases are on the rise, and our research shows that Wix stores connected to BNPL providers have seen a 25% increase in high-ticket transactions. When you allow shoppers to divide their payments, they’ll be more likely to make larger purchases. A $1,000 item is far more enticing when it can be split and paid in 4 installments of $250.
2. Increased average order value
BNPL is a smart solution that splits the final sum of your customers’ purchases. When customers fill up their carts, the total can add up to a hefty amount. Knowing they have the option to divvy their total charge encourages them to continue shopping and follow through with their purchase.
3. Minimum risk for you
From the merchant’s perspective, understandably, the most concerning part about fulfilling online orders before receiving payment is what happens if the customer doesn’t pay. With BNPL, this risk is minimized because you’ll always receive the entire payment upfront. BNPL providers pay you directly and tackle the responsibility of non-paying customers. Some providers even cover the risk of chargebacks and fraud, so it’s a win-win situation.
4. More flexibility at checkout
Shoppers want more online payment solutions at checkout. Combining BNPL with existing payment options provides more financial flexibility that may bring back repeat shoppers. They’ll appreciate the ability to choose and you’ll gain customer loyalty.
5. Popular payment method
With consumer demand for BNPL continuing to grow, more and more online small business owners are starting to include it as a convenient payment option. As your competitors adopt this popular payment method and integrate BNPL on their sites, you don’t want to get left behind. This may cost you potential sales and harm your overall customer retention.
Another advantage is marketing value. When you connect BNPL to your store, some providers add you to their online network, exposing your business to customers who visit their sites.
What are the best BNPL providers?
The number of BNPL providers is growing rapidly. Word of their popularity and success is spreading, and even leading credit card companies like American Express and Visa offer similar methods. Different providers support different locations and business types, so choose ones that suit you best. We’ve highlighted some top-rated providers below to give you a sense of what’s available.
Affirm
Affirm is one of the oldest BNPL services in the U.S. and ideal for a wide range of purchases up to $17,500. Customers are given the most relevant payment options, like paying in 4 interest-free installments split over 6-8 weeks, or making monthly payments over a period of up to 2 years. The verification process is easy and has no effect on the customer’s credit score. Affirm takes on any risks, from chargebacks to fraud.
Afterpay
Afterpay is a leading BNPL provider that has become increasingly popular thanks to its easy-to-use reputation, brand exposure and shopper analytics. Your customers can quickly sign up on Afterpay’s site or app. There’s no need to fill out long forms and accounts are approved within minutes. Payments are divided into 4 bi-weekly installments. Customers pay zero interest, and as long as payments are on time, there are no additional fees. Afterpay is available in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, opening up your business to more markets.
Klarna
Klarna is a global shopping service and BNPL market leader serving 90M+ shoppers and 250K retailers worldwide. They understand there’s no one-size-fits-all BNPL solution, which is why they offer multiple ways to pay both online and in store. In the U.S., Klarna lets customers split purchases into 4 interest-free payments over 6 weeks, or pay over time in monthly payments from 6-36 months with no credit checks, interest or hidden fees. Currently, Klarna is available in 17 countries, including the U.S., UK, Sweden and Germany.
Laybuy
Laybuy is a well-known BNPL service operating in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK since 2017. They allow customers to split payments into 6 weekly installments, with the first payment due at time of purchase. Laybuy charges zero interest and takes care of any fraud and chargeback issues.
Sezzle
Sezzle’s BNPL plan is simple and straightforward. Payments are divided into 4 interest-free installments over 6 weeks, with the first 25% due when purchasing. Shoppers don’t pay any interest or hidden fees. Sezzle is highly rated and their popularity is steadily growing. They currently serve businesses in the U.S. and Canada.
Like all payment providers, BNPL services charge a processing fee per purchase. Some also charge late fees. These fees differ based on each provider’s terms and conditions, so read up to find out what you’ll be paying.
Our Wix eCommerce platform offers its merchants all of the above BNPL providers and more at no additional cost. Check which providers are available in your region, like Clearpay and Laybuy in the UK or Atome in Asia.
How to easily add a BNPL provider to your Wix site
To connect a BNPL provider, follow these steps:
Log into your Wix account on desktop
Click Settings > Accept Payments
Go to See More Payment Options
Choose your preferred BNPL solution > Connect
Follow the provider’s instructions to complete setup
You’re welcome to set up multiple BNPL providers if you like. Wix automatically shows you the best payment options based on your region, so choose your favorites. Buy now, pay later will complement your other payment methods at checkout, like credit cards and digital wallets. Then, when your customers go to pay, they get to pick their preferred provider.
Bottom line
Offering customers multiple ways to pay is essential to your business’ growth. Buy now, pay later is one of the newest and most sought after payment options out there. Adding BNPL to your site can only open your business to more customers, increased sales and overall success.
Ready to start selling online? Create your online store today.
Omer Shatzky
Head of Billing & Payments at Wix
Wix Payments Founder
Omer is a seasoned executive—leading tech, business and product groups within the payment ecosystem. As founder of Wix Payments, he’s developed an advanced solution, allowing merchants to manage their business operations and payments solely on Wix.
